Boat capsizes on the way to Shivaji Smarak site: Mumbai Mirror reporter recalls how he survived the tragedy

Mumbai Mirror correspondent Yogesh Naik was on the ill-fated speedboat that capsized off the coast of Mumbai yesterday, killing a 35-year-old. Here is his first-person account.

When I left office yesterday afternoon, I had no idea what was in store for me over the next few hours. I reached the Gateway of India to board a ferry for the Shivaji Memorial function. There were many journalists waiting at the jetty. The chairperson of the Shivaji Memorial committee, Vinayak Mete, and his supporters were all attending the function.

The first boat left at 2.45 pm. After some time, Mete, accompanied by senior officers like chief secretary D K Jain, principal secretaries Manoj Saunik, Bhushan Gagrani, city collector Shivaji Jondhale and others went by a special boat.

I got a seat on another speed boat. The twin-engine boat, belonging to Westcoast Marine Yacht Services India, had a capacity of 20 persons. But there were nearly 30 persons on the boat. The driver R Kulapkar refused to ferry the overloaded boat. But some political workers on the boat said that senior officers of the Maharashtra Maritime Board were accompanying Mete for the event and the driver need not worry. Finally, six people got off the vessel, but it was still overloaded.

At 4 pm, around 400 metres away from Prongs Lighthouse, our vessel hit a rock and the engines stopped working. The seaman Karan Patil started distributing life jackets to all. But since the boat was overcrowded, the life jackets were not sufficient for all. The boat did not have a wireless system to send a distress signal. Suddenly, water started gushing in.

PHOTO BY YOGESH NAIK

A distress signal sent through the mobile phone was sent to the office of Westcoast Marine. By now, panic had set in among the passengers. Those who did not know swimming started crying. An elderly person informed his house that they were in a sinking boat and their last moment could come anytime. As water started gushing in, there was a fight between those who wanted the door to be closed and the swimmers who wanted the door open as access should not be blocked.

Luckily, a rescue boat Dolphin came to the spot in the nick of time and there was a beeline at the gate to get into the rescue vessel. I climbed aboard the vessel. I managed to get through to Coast Guard Additional Director General K Natarajan and informed him about the situation. He promptly promised help.

As all the passengers rushed to the side where the rescue boat was, the speedboat started tilting and more water entered. She finally turned topsy-turvy and some passengers fell in the sea. Kulapkar, who had not deserted the vessel so far, jumped out at the last moment. We helped them come aboard the rescue vessel. Seaman Kiran Patil saved at least eight lives. Tragically, one of the passengers, Siddhesh Pawar got trapped inside the cabin. Many efforts were done to get him out but to no avail.

The Navy dispatched one Seaking helicopter and one Chetak (with diving team) to the spot. By the time they reached, all of us were safe except Siddhesh. The divers went inside the vessel and found that he was trapped inside. Siddhesh’s uncle V Ambre, who was also on our vessel, kept praying for Siddhesh.

The authorities then decided to tow the speedboat back to the shore. His body was fished out from the boat.

Siddhesh Pawar, 35, was a chartered accountant and lived in Vakola in Santacruz East. He had got married only five months ago on May 10 to Kirti, 32. His body was taken to St George Hospital.

Boat carrying workers to site of Shivaji Smarak capsizes

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Boat carrying workers to site of Shivaji Smarak capsizes

The speed boat carrying around 40 persons hit an underwater rock and later capsized while on a trip for a 'puja' ceremony at the proposed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Memorial in the Arabian Sea off Mumbai.The incident happened around 4.15 pm when the boat's hull was ruptured after hitting the rock, water quickly started flooding inside, and it tilted dangerously, triggering panic among the passengers. Owned by the Maharashtra government, it was carrying several persons including mediapersons and activists of the Shiv Sangram party, Shiv Smarak Samiti Chairman Vinayak Mete told IANS. Photo by Yogesh Naik/BCCL

Boat carrying workers to site of Shivaji Smarak capsizes

It was proceeding to the underwater site of the proposed memorial complex, around 3.5 km off Marine Drive, when it hit an underwater rock near a lighthouse there. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told the media that he will order a detailed investigation into the incident. A search operation continues for the missing person. Photo by Yogesh Naik/BCCL

Boat carrying workers to site of Shivaji Smarak capsizes

Mete said around 200 persons including mediapersons, government officials and political activists had departed in several boats from the Gateway of India jetty for the memorial function. "I have visited that site over a dozen times, but such a thing has never happened. The authorities had taken all safety precautions and the boats were not overloaded," Mete said after returning to the jetty. Photo by Yogesh Naik/BCCL

Boat carrying workers to site of Shivaji Smarak capsizes

The Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, Marine Police and other agencies launched an operation with three helicopters, a hovercraft and boats to search for a political activist, identified as Siddhesh Pawar, reported missing, an official said. A second boat which was in the vicinity managed to reach the tragedy spot within minutes and helped rescue all the people who were on board the boat. Photo by Yogesh Naik/BCCL

Boat carrying workers to site of Shivaji Smarak capsizes

The damaged boat was towed away by a Marine Police vessel to Girgaum Chowpatty. Official sources said confusion prevailed over the incident, as there was no list of crew or passengers available. There were two boats that had gone to the site but it was unclear if the passengers were wearing safety jackets since the sea continues to be rough. Photo by Yogesh Naik/BCCL

Boat carrying workers to site of Shivaji Smarak capsizes

Following the incident, the state government postponed Wednesday's planned function. Several activists, fishermen leaders and opposition legislators criticised the government's decision to go ahead with the memorial though the proposed site is unsafe. Some eyewitnesses claimed that the boat pilot had lost the way and it was drifting in the vicinity for over an hour before it hit the rock, besides passengers were reportedly not given life-jackets. Photo by Yogesh Naik/BCCL

Boat carrying workers to site of Shivaji Smarak capsizes

Education Minister Vinod Tawde, who went to meet the rescued persons, termed the incident as "extremely unfortunate". Located around 3.5 km in the Arabian Sea off Marine Drive, the site envisages a grand 212-metre tall statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji on a 84-metre high pedestal, along with a huge memorial complex after reclaiming around four acres of land from the sea. Photo by Yogesh Naik/BCCL

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